Air Conditioning Theory

The Four Major Functions Of An A/C system

To be effective, the dash air conditioner must control four (4) conditions within the vehicle
interior:

It must cool the air It must circulate the air

It must purify the air It must dehumidify the air

These functions are essential if passenger comfort is to be maintained when the ambient
temperature and humidity are high.

By performing these functions, the air conditioner maintains the body comfort of the d r i ve r
a n d f ro n t passenger.

ASHRAE has developed a comfort range that is the standard in HVAC commercial, residential
and automotive industries. In the summer, the comfort range is between 73⁰F (22.5⁰C) dry bulb
(db) temperature and 79.5% relative humidity (rh) up to 81⁰F (27⁰C) db and 19.8% rh. In winter,
it is between 67.1⁰F (19.5⁰C) db and 86.5% rh to 76⁰F (24.5⁰C) db and 23% rh.
 Air Conditioning Theory

A/C System Basic Operation

Air from either the interior of the vehicle (Recirculation Air Inlet Mode) or from the exterior of the
vehicle (Fresh Air Inlet Mode) is sucked into the HVAC unit by an air flow moving device called a
blower assembly.

The air flow passes through a heat absorbing coil called an evaporator located within the HVAC
unit.

The evaporator then transfers the heat from the air to a cool fluid medium called R134a
refrigerant which is encapsulated within a plumbing network.

The heated refrigerant is transferred by a pump or compressor into the engine compartment
where it then rejects this heat to exterior air flow traveling through a heat rejection coil called a
condenser.

This is a continuous process that occurs whenever the compressor is operating.

 Air Conditioning Theory
Heat Measurement
First we need to understand the
fundamentals of Heat.

The amount of heat energy present in the air and

refrigerant is measured as the temperature.

There are two different temperature scales most

commonly used, Fahrenheit and Celsius.

Heat is measured in British Thermal Units

(BTU’s) and Calories.

BTU – amount of heat energy required to raise

one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit.

Calorie – amount of heat energy required to

raise one gram of water one degree Celsius.

Three Types Of Heat

Sensible Heat: When the heat that is applied to a substance merely raises its temperature, but
does not change its physical state. It is the heat which, added to or subtracted from a substance,
produces the changes in temperature indicated on a thermometer. (i.e. It is the heat that you
feel or sense)

Latent Heat: The heat released or absorbed by a substance when it changes its physical state
to another with no change in temperature. (i.e. ice to liquid and liquid to vapor)

There are two forms of latent heat:

latent heat of fusion in the conversion of a liquid to a solid, or vice versa (i.e. The Freezing
Point – For water it is 32°F or 0°C).

latent heat of vaporization in the conversion of a liquid to a vapor, or vice versa. (i.e. The
Boiling Point – For water it is 212°F or 100°C).

The latent heat of vaporization phenomenon is the founding principle in refrigeration and air
conditioning. It is known as THE COOLING EFFECT!
 Air Conditioning Theory
Understanding Heat Transfer
How does heat get inside a vehicle?

When a car is driven or parked in the sun, heat enters the vehicle from many sources.

These sources include:

- Ambient air
- Sunlight
- Engine heat
- Road heat
- Transmission
- Exhaust heat

All of these and other miscellaneous heat sources, increase the air temperature within the
vehicle.

In a high ambient temperature situation, (e.g. on a 99 ⁰F or 37⁰C day), the interior of a

vehicle left standing in the sun with windows closed could reach 150 - 158 ⁰F or 65-70⁰C!

Sun
load Sun
Sun load
load

Engine Heat

Exhaust Heat Exhaust Heat

Road Heat
 Air Conditioning Theory
Understanding Heat Transfer (Continued)
How does heat transfer work in an A/C system?

Three processes of heat transfer:

An air conditioning system’s efficiency is based on
how it moves heat.

Heat Transfer is the method by which heat flows.

Heat always travels from warm material to cold.

The reverse is never true.

For example, if a hot cup of coffee is left standing.

it will cool off, while a cold soda will get warm.

The heat from the warm coffee moves to the cooler

surrounding air (i.e. condenser’s heat rejection).
The heat from the surrounding air moves to the
cooler soda, until a balance is reached (i.e.
evaporator’s heat absorption).

1. Radiation: Heat moves from a heat source to an object

by means of heat rays.

For example, you feel heat from a fireplace, even

though air is traveling past you and going up the
chimney. You are warmed by radiated heat. (i.e.
Engine compartment heat, body of the vehicle exposed
to the sun, etc.)

2. Convection: Heat flows in a stream of air or liquid that

is hotter than what it flows over, around, or through.

For example, a blow dryer generates a stream of

heated air to dry hair. The hair is heated by convection.
(i.e. The inlet air of the HVAC unit scrubbing the
aluminum fins of the evaporator or vice versa with the
condenser)

3. Conduction: Heat travels along a material.

For example, if a spoon is left in a pot of boiling water,
the spoon handle will get hot, even though the handle is
outside the pot. Heat is conducted along the spoon
handle. (i.e. The heat in the coil’s fins passing to the
refrigerant passages & into the refrigerant)
 Air Conditioning Theory

The Added Value Of Latent Heat Transfer

~6 TIMES MORE HEAT

TRANSFERRED THAN SENSIBLE
HEAT.

R134a refrigerant is about one tenth less in latent heat value but is used instead of water
because it boils at temperatures below the freezing point of water and at a higher pressure than
atmospheric pressure.

It has the needed characteristics to boil at a low temperature and is able to change its state
readily from liquid to vapor, and vice versa.

The A/C system creates the situation were the refrigerant is either evaporating or
condensing to provide the most efficient means of heat transfer.
 Air Conditioning Theory

Heat Transfer Diagram

~6 Times more heat

transferred than
sensible heat.

Sensible Heat which is

not very efficient method
of heat transfer
 Air Conditioning Theory

Temperature/Pressure Relationship

How does the AC system create this phenomenon?

Pressure / temperature relationship: As the
pressure on a liquid is increased, the boiling point
rises. As the pressure on a liquid is decreased, the
boiling point drops.

In an air conditioning system, the refrigerant is

contained in a closed loop plumbing system that can
be pressurized.

The pressure in the evaporator is low, so that all the

refrigerant vaporizes. The pressure in the
condenser is high, so the refrigerant readily
changes state to a liquid.

In an air conditioning system, a compressor is used

to increase the pressure of the refrigerant; this
raises its temperature. The refrigerant vapor
entering the condenser is hot.

In this air conditioning system, an expansion valve

is used to lower the pressure of the refrigerant; the
refrigerant in the evaporator is cold.

Automotive A/C Systems are designed to operate at

pressures that keep the refrigerant at the optimum
temperature for taking heat out of the passenger
compartment.
 Air Conditioning Theory
Typical A/C Operating Conditions
A/C system typically operates in a 50°F
to 110°F environmental range.

In those given conditions the A/C

operating pressures range from 5 to 30
psig on the evaporator side and 75 to
325 psig on the condenser side.

This correlates in refrigerant

temperature to -2°F to 35°F on the
evaporator side and 73°F to 166°F on
the condenser side.

In 110°F environment, the air flowing

through the evaporator is ~75°F hotter
than the refrigerant and it boils and
becomes a vapor.

In 110°F environment, the air flowing

through the condenser is ~56°F cooler
than the refrigerant and it condenses
and becomes a liquid.

This picture shows the direction of refrigerant and engine coolant flow in the system. The air conditioner
evaporator coil and condenser, and the heater core, are the main points of heat transfer.
 Air Conditioning Theory

Air Conditioning System

1. The compressor sucks in &
compresses the cool R134a refrigerant
gas, causing it to become hot, high
pressure gas.

2. This hot gas runs through the

condenser & dissipates its heat into its
cooling air flow and condenses into a
liquid.

3. The high pressure liquid enters the

receiver/drier for storage and moisture
removal.

4. The liquid is drawn off the bottom of the

receiver/drier and runs through a
pressure dividing, fixed size orifice hole
in the thermostatic expansion valve.

5. A bulb containing R134a liquid

refrigerant controls the flow of
refrigerant by using a diaphragm to
push down or retract a pin. The pin
pushes downward onto small, metal
ball plugging the orifice allowing liquid
refrigerant to enter the evaporator. The
ball is cradled by an upward spring
force to counter the pin’s downward
force. Together, these forces will
modulate the refrigerant flow through
the TXV.

6. The low pressure liquid refrigerant

travels through the coil and evaporates
thus becoming cold, low pressure gas
which absorbs heat from the hot air
flowing through the coil.

7. A small amount of lightweight oil is

mixed in with the refrigerant to lubricate
the compressor.
 Air Conditioning Theory

Super Heat
At a certain point in the evaporator the R134a refrigerant is completely vaporized, after that point
any additional heat absorbed by the R134a vapor is described as SUPER HEAT.

The value of this SUPER HEAT is the temperature difference above the point at which
R134a liquid changes to a vapor. A proper Super Heat value is the insurance that vaporized
refrigerant will enter the vapor compressor instead of liquid (i.e. Slugging).

The thermal expansion valve (TXV) super heat setting is established at the factory for particular
applications. Ensure when a valve is replaced that it is of the type suited to the R134a A/C
system.

Saturation temperature = The temperature at which refrigerant in liquid form changes to a

vapor at a given pressure. Saturation temperatures values can be derived from a R134a
Temperature/Pressure Chart.

Actual temperature = The temperature of refrigerant at the evaporator outlet.

Example - Calculation for Super Heat

Actual Refrigerant Temperature = 40⁰F
minus
Saturated Refrigerant Temperature = 29⁰F

Super Heat = 11⁰F

25 Psi
40⁰F
Air Flow
Outlet Vapor
Temperature

25 Psi
29⁰F
Saturated Liquid
Temperature
 Air Conditioning Theory

R134a Temperature / Pressure Chart

The numbers above represent the boiling points for R134a

 Air Conditioning Theory

Sub Cooling
At a certain point in the condenser the R134a refrigerant is completely condensed, after that point
any additional heat released by the R134a liquid is described as SUB COOLING.

The value of this SUB COOLING is the temperature difference below the point at which
R134a vapor changes to a liquid. A proper Sub Cooling value is the insurance that liquid
refrigerant will enter the thermostatic expansion valve instead of vapor.

Saturation temperature = The temperature at which refrigerant in vapor form changes to a liquid
at a given pressure. Saturation temperatures values can be derived from a R134a
Temperature/Pressure Chart.

Actual temperature = The temperature of refrigerant at the condenser outlet.

Example - Calculation for Sub Cooling

Saturated Refrigerant Temperature = 138⁰F
minus
Outlet Refrigerant Temperature = 125⁰F

Sub Cooling = 13⁰F

225 Psi
125⁰F
Outlet Liquid
Temperature

225 Psi
138⁰F
Saturated Vapor
Temperature